Unfortunately, to get a good high temperature cooking and the browning that adds flavor, the splatter is unavoidable. Good suggestion below with the screen, and there are many varieties. Just accept it and enjoy the nicely browned food.
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EricJan 3 '11 at 19:24

Ahh ha, do I feel dumb. I just looked up "splatter shield" and I have seen those before many times but I always thought they were drainers. I wondered how they worked being flat.
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JD IsaacksNov 4 '10 at 20:15

4

There are also silicone splatter shields, which tend to be a little more reliable and easier to clean than wire ones (YMMV of course).
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Aaronut♦Nov 4 '10 at 20:16

We fry so rarely that the wire one works just fine. I've had the same one for about 10 years. When it dies, I'll probably replace with silicone.
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Martha F.Nov 5 '10 at 19:34

You shouldn't be 'tossing' the fries into the pan. Put them in slowly, using a tray or slotted spoon. Make sure to have the container no more than halfway full of oil. I learned this the hard way working in a cafeteria, the results can be messy and painful :(

Agreed -- slowly lowering them in will mean if there's any surface water left, it's only going a short distance up through the oil, rather than from deep in the bottom of the pot ... which lead to the grease fire, destroying the stove, etc.
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JoeNov 5 '10 at 17:05

It's a rather unavoidable part of cooking things like bacon or sausage. I would advise against a lid, and instead use a splatter screen.

The lid will keep the spatter in, but it will also change the cooking time and even method of your food. Putting the lid on can effectively begin steaming your sausage, which may not be desired. The splatter screen will let steam escape but catch the little grease pops which are unavoidable.

Frozen fries often have a lot of water at the surface too, which is why restaurants that serve fries from frozen often let them sit out for 10-20 minutes before dropping them in the fryer. This does two things:

That's a great point for previously frozen ... do they do it in the package, or spread them out to improve air circulation and evaporation?
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JoeNov 5 '10 at 17:06

They usually do it in the fry baskets (open air). The fries would get soggy in the bag (I assume).
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Bruce AldersonNov 5 '10 at 23:38

For fresh potatoes, patting them dry helps a lot too. I often let mine sit out while I make the rest of the meal, tossing them and patting them down until they're really dry on the surface.
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Bruce AldersonNov 5 '10 at 23:39

-1 because covering will change the heat profile of the pan, make the whole area hotter, promote steaming. All things that will change the way you are cooking. A splatter screen won't do that.
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yossarianJan 3 '11 at 19:23

1

No worries. I cook sausages on a low heat in a cast iron pan with a lid all the time. I like 'em that way. Judging by the down votes, I'm the only one who does. Have a nice day.
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grenadeJan 3 '11 at 19:31